Systematically revised and rewritten throughout and updated to cover the impact of the Lisbon Treaty, this highly-successful and ground-breaking text remains unique in analyzing the EU as a political system using the methods of comparative political science.
This fourth edition has been revised to bring it up to date with developments in the late 1990s. It provides an introduction to the evolution of the EU and its institutions and policy processes. There is a section on integration theory.
Based on exhaustive research, this book explains how the European Union makes decisions in seven major policy sectors. Written in a clear, user-friendly style, it brings the EU alive for a student and non-specialist audience. The book's central themes are that informal norms often matter more than formal rules, agency often matters more than structure, and abrupt change often punctuates deadlock. It offers a theoretically-based introduction to the lively, humorous and fascinating politics of a unique experiment in modern governance.
Focusing on the European Union's central institution, this book offers a comprehensive analysis of the European Commission through diverse perspectives grounded in original research. It explores key topics such as recruitment, policy-making, the Commission's historical development, and its future prospects, providing a thorough understanding of its role and significance within the EU framework.
The book delves into the multifaceted crisis facing the European Union, addressing issues such as Brexit, eurozone instability, and mass migration. It highlights the erosion of trust, shifting power dynamics, toxic politics, widespread disillusionment, and weakened solidarity among member states. Leading academics contribute insights to explore the implications of this crisis for the EU, its member nations, and the broader study of European integration, offering a comprehensive analysis of the current challenges and future prospects for the union.
Leading scholars explore the complex questions arising from the ongoing transformation of Europe through the deepening and widening effects of European integration. Based on authoritative analyses, the book takes account of the many national, transnational and international processes and contexts in which European integration has become embedded.